Entrepreneurship should be taught in schools, not left until university, says Professor Rod McNaughton from the University of Auckland.

The Government’s new curriculum adds subjects like artificial intelligence, data science and civics.

McNaughton says these are welcome, but without entrepreneurship they miss the subject that ties them all together.

“Entrepreneurship is about building confidence, learning to act when information is incomplete, and finding creative solutions,” he says.

“Employers want graduates who can adapt quickly, take initiative and work well with others.”

Other countries have already moved.

Denmark builds entrepreneurship into every level of education.

Finland requires it across all subjects.

Singapore partners schools with industry to deliver hands-on programmes.

Without a similar approach here, New Zealand risks leaving the subject patchy and limited to a few schools.

Since 2018, more than 13,000 students have joined programmes at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

McNaughton says the results are clear, but starting this late is “playing catch-up.”

On the Hibiscus Coast, where many young people step straight into trades or the workforce, earlier exposure could make a big difference.

Coast teens would gain the confidence to spot opportunities, handle uncertainty and turn ideas into action — skills that matter whether they run a business or join a local team.

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